When a vehicular accident involves a badly damaged or overturned vehicle that has been crushed, the occupants can become trapped inside and it is desirable for rescue workers to be able to extract the occupants safely and quickly. In some case, it is necessary to extract the occupants by using cutting or prising equipment to remove wreckage. In order to protect the safety of the trapped vehicle occupants and the rescuers, it is often necessary to stabilize and support the vehicle so that the rescue activities do not cause further movement of the vehicle. This is particularly important in the case of overturned vehicles where the vehicle is not in a stable resting position.
Conventional methods of vehicle stabilization involve cribbing the vehicle or using a combination of blocks and wedges to hold the vehicle in place. Unfortunately, placing blocks and wedges about a vehicle can be time consuming and the blocks often restrict or prevent access to the interior of the vehicle.
In some cases, it is desirable to right or at least partially raise an overturned vehicle before attempting a rescue. This is often accomplished by deploying and inflating air bags under the vehicle. The blocks and wedges must be constantly adjusted to guide and control movement of the vehicle.